China clears Monsanto's Xtend soybeans for import

Approval clears way for seeds to be marketed to farmers for 2016 season.

Feb 04, 2016

Monsanto’s Xtend soybeans are available for farmers in the United States and Canada for the 2016 season following import approval in China.

“After a decade of development, the new and elite germplasm in Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans can provide growers with outstanding performance in their efforts to produce the best crop possible,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto president and CEO, in a media statement.

Monsanto’s Xtend soybeans are available for farmers. (Photo: Yelena Yemchuk/Thinkstock)

Monsanto’s Asgrow, Channel and regional brands, along with corn states licensees, expect to introduce more than 70 soybean products across eight maturity groups with agronomic traits including resistance to nematodes and phytophthora root rot. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are broadly licensed to more than 100 seed brands.

Although Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are tolerant to both glyphosate and dicamba herbicides, the use of dicamba herbicide over the top of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans remains in Environmental Protection Agency review and is not currently approved by the EPA.